Fuchsia plant named ‘Sanihanf arl2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Fuchsia  plant named ‘Sanihanf arl2’, characterized by its compact and cascading growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant habit; red purple and white-colored flowers; freely and continuous flowering habit; and relative tolerance to high temperatures.

Botanical denomination: Fuchsia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sanihanf arl2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia plant, botanically known as Fuchsia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sanihanf arl2’.

The new Fuchsia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Hyogo, Japan. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Fuchsia cultivars with a compact and bushy plant habit, numerous attractive flowers and tolerance to high temperatures.

The new Fuchsia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in 2000 of a proprietary selection Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aip-18, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Fuchsia×hybrida cultivar Hidcote Beauty, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Sanihanf arl2 was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant within the resulting progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hyogo, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Fuchsia by terminal cuttings in Shiga, Japan, since May, 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Fuchsia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sanihanf arl2 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and daylength, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sanihanf arl2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sanihanf arl2’ as a new and distinct Fuchsia cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and cascading growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant habit.     -   3. Red purple and white-colored flowers.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   5. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hyogo and Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Fuchsia differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia had flatter leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia had single flowers whereas plants         of the female parent selection had semi-double and double         flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia has longer calyx tubes than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the female parent selection         differed in corolla and calyx coloration.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Hidcote Beauty. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hyogo and Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Fuchsia differed from plants of the cultivar Hidcote Beauty in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia had narrower leaves than plants of         the cultivar Hidcote Beauty.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia had shorter flowers than plants of         the cultivar Hidcote Beauty.     -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the cultivar Hidcote Beauty         differed in corolla coloration.

Plants of the new Fuchsia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sanihanf, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,378. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hyogo and Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Fuchsia differed from plants of the cultivar Sanihanf in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Fuchsia had larger leaves with longer         petioles than plants of the cultivar Sanihanf.     -   2. Plants of the new Fuchsia had longer calyx tubes than plants         of the cultivar Sanihanf.     -   3. Plants of the new Fuchsia and the cultivar Sanihanf differed         in stem, leaf petiole, corolla and calyx coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Fuchsia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Fuchsia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of ‘Sanihanf arl2’.

The photograph at the bottom sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Sanihanf arl2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Hyogo, Japan, under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 25 and 15° C., respectively. One cutting was planted per 13.5-cm container and plants were grown for about twelve months. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fuchsia×hybrida cultivar Sanihanf arl2. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of             Fuchsia×hybrida identified as code number aip-18, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Fuchsia×hybrida cultivar Hidcote             Beauty, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three weeks at 20°             C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; yellowish white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely-branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form and habit.—Compact and cascading growth habit; freely             branching habit, dense and bushy plant habit; pinching             (removal of terminal apex) enhances lateral branch             development; freely flowering habit; vigorous.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter:             About 2.3 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 6.1 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent towards the margins.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Petiole length: About             1.3 cm. Petiole diameter: About 1.7 mm. Petiole texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137A;             venation, similar to lamina. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: 138B; venation, similar to lamina.             Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single bi-colored axillary flowers.             Freely flowering; potentially two flowers per leaf axil.             Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring to autumn in Japan;             flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to four days on             the plant.         -   Flower orientation.—Initially upright, then pendulous.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elongated. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width:             About 1.1 cm. Color: N155B.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Four; imbricate; in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Broadly             obovate. Apex: Truncate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth and             satiny. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 77A;             venation, N74C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             N78A; venation, N74C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: Four; fused at base. Length: About 3.1 cm.             Width: About 9 mm. Calyx tube length: About 1.5 cm. Calyx             tube diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: N155B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: N155B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 0.9 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number: Eight per             flower. Anther size: About 3.8 mm by 1.9 mm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther color: 68C. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: 68A. Pistils: Pistil nunber: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 5.3 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm.             Style color: 68C. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color:             10A. Ovary color: 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Fuchsias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Fuchsia have been observed     to tolerate low temperatures of 3° C. and high temperatures of     35° C. Compared to other Fuchsia cultivars known to the Inventors,     plants of the new Fuchsia are relatively tolerant to high     temperatures. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Fuchsia perform have been     observed to perform well in the garden and are tolerant to rain and     wind. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Fuchsia plant named ‘Sanihanf arl2’, as illustrated and described. 